In semiconductor fabrication, semiconductor chips are fabricated together on a single wafer. Fabrication of these chips generally involves forming several different structures on the wafer, including wiring layers, active devices and passive devices. These structures can be fabricated using conventional lithography, etching and deposition processes.
Scribe lines, also referred to as kerfs, are formed on the wafer during fabrication to separate the various chips. During the dicing stage, semiconductor chips are diced from each other by sawing the wafer along the scribe lines. It is during this dicing stage that issues can arise. Specifically, cracks can form in the wafer, which can then propagate throughout the chips. These cracks can cause defective chips. To prevent these cracks from propagating, crackstop structures are formed in dielectric material around the active area of each chip.
During the fabrication process, it is desirable to test the functionality of the ICs. However, testing during the fabrication process can be problematic. For example, electrically connecting from inside the crackstop structure to outside the crackstop structure may damage or even prevent the formation of a hermetic seal. Accordingly, functionality of the crackstop structure, itself, may be compromised.